Gold Cup 2025 Matchday 1 Recap

The 2025 Gold Cup is off and flying! The favorites all found big wins, and some underdogs achieved surprising results! Let’s look at all 16 matches that took place on the first matchday, and peek at the games on matchday two!

USMNT, Olympic, Gold Cup — KANSAS CITY, KS – JULY 15: United States midfielder Gianluca Busio (6) looks on as United States forward Daryl Dike (11) celebrates with fans and teammates after scoring a goal in action during a CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B match between Martinique and the United States on July 15, 2021 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, KS. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire)

Gold Cup Group A

Mexico 3 – 2 Dominican Republic

The reigning kings of Concacaf, Mexico, took on scrappy upstarts, the Dominican Republic, in a thrilling opening match to the 2025 Gold Cup. Mexico started on the front foot in this match, but didn’t have their finishing boots. About 40 minutes in, the Dominican Republic began to open up and advance, seeing an opportunity to strike. With no goals a minute before halftime, it looked like it would be 0-0. But Mexico found the opening goal just before the half off of an Edson Álvarez header, and the defending champs weren’t done there.

As the second half kicked off, Raul Jiménez struck in the 47th minute to make it 2-0. It looked like Mexico would cruise through this game, but the Dominican Republic struck back four minutes later. It was a great goal from Peter González, but it didn’t mount the comeback necessary to get points. Mexico scored a third goal before the hour mark thanks to César Montes. The Dominican Republic would make it a one-goal game in the 67th minute after Edison Azcona scored, but it was too late.

Mexico took all three points, but the Dominican Republic looked formidable enough to take a lot of positives from this game moving forward in the tournament!

Costa Rica 4 – 3 Suriname

The other match in Group A was also a goalfest, and close to a big upset! Costa Rica came in hot, scoring two goals before the 20th minute. With a 2-0 lead against the run of play at times, the Costa Ricans looked comfortable enough. That is, until Suriname scored in the 34th minute. It was a 2-1 game at the half, and the momentum was swinging Costa Rica’s way before the break, but Suriname would not go quietly.

14 minutes into the second half, Suriname scored to equalize. This is when the momentum swung their way. Six minutes later, they won a penalty kick that was converted to give them their first match lead. With 25 minutes left, they would look to hold on against Costa Rica, but that proved futile. The Costa Ricans found the equalizer in the 76th minute and then were awarded a late penalty kick that was converted in the 90+13th minute of the match!

Costa Rica will feel lucky to have gotten all three points, while Suriname will feel a bit robbed; will either side be able to score as many goals in their next Group A matches?

Group A Standings

1st: Costa Rica | 3 pts | +1 GD
2nd: Mexico | 3 pts | +1 GD
3rd: Suriname | 0 pts | -1 GD
4th: Dominican Republic | 0 pts | -1 GD

Gold Cup Group B

Curacao 0 – 0 El Salvador

The Gold Cup is funny. One group can have 12 matches from two games, and the other can have a snoozefest that ends 0-0. That’s what this Curacao-El Salvador match presented. Of the two teams, Curacao held the ball more. They generated six shots, three of which were on target, but none were real big chances.

El Salvador also had six shots in the game, but only one was put on target, which wasn’t a great chance. When you look at the expected goals stat, this game deserved to be 0-0; it was 0.77 for Curacao, and 0.19 for El Salvador. It’s plain that these sides will have some hard work ahead of them in Group B, but at least they have a point apiece after one match.

Curacao and El Salvador have big opportunities in their upcoming games, as Honduras lost to Canada. Can either of these sides make the knockout rounds?

Canada 6 – 0 Honduras

Canada is one of the favorites to win this Gold Cup. They have a giant chip on their shoulder, as they are not seen as the best in the region, like Mexico and the USA have been for years. They went into their first match in this tournament to prove their haters wrong, and Jesse Marsch’s side did just that.

Honduras was on the field for this match but never truly in it. They never had much of the ball at all and proved they couldn’t do much with it. Canada, on the other hand, scored twice in the first half and then added four more in the second half to get the most lopsided win of matchday one of the group stage. Their 6-0 win will have them flying high, ready to show this region they’re the big dogs.

Canada can put together another of these performances in their next match and look on its way to winning the group. Honduras will need a complete turnaround to prove they’re good enough for the knockouts.

Group B Standings

1st: Canada | 3 pts | +6 GD
2nd: Curacao | 1 pt | 0 GD
3rd: El Salvador | 1 pt | 0 GD
4th: Honduras | 0 pts | -6 GD

Gold Cup Group C

Panama 5 – 2 Guadeloupe

Another nation looking to prove it’s a giant of Concacaf at this Gold Cup is Panama, and it did just that in its opening game against Guadeloupe. The Panamanians scored four goals in the first half, and more staggeringly, they did so in just 22 minutes. It was a totally smothering performance.

Suriname tried to get back into the match, scoring in the 29th and 71st minutes to cut the deficit to 4-2, but a stoppage-time goal for Panama put the final nail in the coffin of this match, as they won 5-2. With 63% possession, 23 shots, eight on target, and five goals, Panama looks like a formidable favorite in this Gold Cup!

Panama played their easiest match of Group C play in their first game, and they will need to show they can put this type of result up against Jamaica or Guatemala. Guadeloupe will be lucky to get points in this Gold Cup if they play like they did in matchday one.

Jamaica 0 – 1 Guatemala

Jamaica and Guatemala entered the Gold Cup as the two teams poised to battle for second place in their group. This match proved to live up to that billing. Both nations were ready for a physical battle. The tackles were crunching from early on in this one, and it looked like the game might be a hard-fought draw. Both nations could create shots; Jamaica had 15 and Guatemala had 11, but the quality of the chances was lacking.

One moment of brilliance in this game came from Guatemala in the 32nd minute. Some good defensive pressure created an attack that saw great passes and a beautiful finish from Oscar Santis. Guatemala had the lead before the half and kept the big names on Jamaica’s roster off the scoresheet in the second. They took all three points from this contested game.

Guatemala got a huge leg up in the race for second in Group C of the Gold Cup, while Jamaica made things very hard for themselves moving forward.

Group C Standings

1st: Panama | 3 pts | +3 GD
2nd: Guatamala | 3 pts | +1 GD
3rd: Jamaica | 0 pts | -1 GD
4th: Guadeloupe | 0 pts | -3 GD

Gold Cup Group D

USA 5 – 0 Trinidad & Tobago

The USA had a rough year. The team crashed out of the Copa America last summer and failed to make the final of the Concacaf Nations League for the first time ever this past March. Many of their stars aren’t at this tournament either because they’re playing for their clubs at the Club World Cup, or to recoup from injuries, or a long club season. Nothing can do wonders for a nation like a Gold Cup against inferior opposition.

USA took on Trinidad and Tobago, and put a whooping on them. Three goals were scored before halftime, two from Malik Tilman and Patrick Agyemang. Substitutes scored two more goals, Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright to make it a 5-0 win for the USA. Trinidad and Tobago were historically bad mustering up on three shots and only having 30% possession.

The USA got the bounce-back game they needed, but can they keep it going in this Gold Cup, where they will be expected to make the final? T&T must show better so as not to be a total failure in this competition.

Haiti 0 – 1 Saudi Arabia

The lone invited team to this Gold Cup, Saudi Arabia, took on an upstart Concacaf side, Haiti, in Group D play. This match did not have the quality that many thought it would. The game was relatively even, with Haiti having a bit more of the ball and more shots and shots on target; however, Saudi Arabia had the better expected goals, 1.27 to Haiti’s 0.63. There was only one moment in this match that proved to be the difference maker.

In the first quarter of an hour, Saudi Arabia won a penalty that they converted. Al-Shehri slotted it home, providing the only goal in this match. Haiti faltered, which had a real chance to show that they could make it out of Group D, while the guests got a big three points.

Can either of these sides challenge the USA for the top spot in the group? Saudi Arabia has the upper hand, while Haiti will likely have to win its remaining games to exit the group.

Group D Standings

1st: USA | 3 pts | +5 GD
2nd: Saudi Arabia | 3 pts | +1 GD
3rd: Haiti | 0 pts | -1 GD
4th: Trinidad & Tobago | 0 pts | -5 GD

USMNT, Gold Cup — Canada midfielder Jonathan Osorio (21) moves the ball against United States forward Jesús Ferreira (9) during a CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final soccer match, Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

A look at Matchday two

The first matchday of the 2025 Gold Cup was a way for nations to state their intent while also getting used to the tournament. Some did this better than others, but regardless of who got points in the first games, the second games present real stakes.

For those who won on matchday one, matchday two represents a path to the knockout rounds if another victory can be secured. Those who came out on the losing end in game one must get some points to avoid elimination. Here’s who plays who and when games will happen on Matchday two!